BRADFORD BULLS 20 LONDON BRONCOS 6
KEITH McGHIE, Bartercard Odsal, Sunday
MUCH vaunted Bradford overcame a stubborn and still largely scratch London Broncos side at a bleak and bitterly cold Odsal.
Bulls’ debutant Guy Armitage and Broncos’ Jensen Monk scored first-half tries with Chris Hellec’s conversion separating the sides as the Broncos just edged the contest at half-time.
But the Bulls’ power and pace proved to be an irresistible force after the break with further tries from Ebon Scurr, Sam Hallas and Jorge Taufua decisively settling the issue.
“There are no ‘gimmes’ in the Championship, but I’ really pleased with our effort and the way we handled adversity,” said Bulls coach Brian Noble.
The impact of Bradford’s big pack and forceful running wingers cannot be overstated, with Scurr, Franklin Pele, Taufua and Armitage particularly prominent, while Waqa Blake, Logan Bayliss and Hallas were also a constant handful for the hard-working visitors to cope with.
Noble was without Joe Keyes and Jayden Okunbor, who both picked up knocks while so heroically helping dump Castleford out of the Challenge Cup on the same stage seven days beforehand.
Michael Lawrence was also missing as former Broncos Armitage and Emmanuel Waine came in to make their Bulls debuts, with Hallas also added to the matchday 17.
Mike Eccles’ side lined up with just a tiny remnants of the squad which battled bravely to so nearly climb off the bottom of Super League last season, with only Alex Walker, Lewis Bienek, Sadiq Adebiyi, Marcus Stock and Will Lovell surviving to take the pitch and start their latest Championship era.
Hellec and Wigan player Lukas Mason, plus Warrington loanees Zac Bardsley-Rowe and Jake Thewlis, made their debuts for London.
An even opening quarter was notable only for a couple of half-breaks from Tom Holmes and a Hellec interception and 30-metre break, before Armitage leapt to claim a high Jamie Meadows last-tackle cross-kick to touch down in the corner.
Jordan Lilley failed with the conversion attempt, before Mitch Souter was held up and Scurr was sin-binned for a professional foul after a dangerous Jake Thewlis break was brilliantly stopped by Holmes.
Aaron Small was held up as his side, a man to the good, pressed strongly and eventually, after a clean break and subsequent good work from Walker, Monk was able to cross underneath the posts, with Hellec’s conversion edging the Broncos ahead before the interval.
Bradford began the second half with visible intent and twice went close before Scurr burst onto a Hallas pass to restore the hosts’ lead.
With Scurr and Pele now in full flight, the Bulls peppered the Broncos’ line, with the ever-probing Hallas finally going over straight from a tap after three penalties were conceded in quick succession by an ever more dishevelled defence.
Taufua then capitalised on a wonderfully quick offload from an always forceful Blake to score a second try in four minutes and push the Bulls three scores clear.
A late illegal challenge was put on report but that was a rare blot on an otherwise promising performance from the Bulls.
“We had several newcomers with a lack of experience and we were under-cooked through a lack of pre-season opportunities, which meant that fatigue wore us down in the second half,” said London coach Mike Eccles.
GAMESTAR: Tom Holmes shone above so many impressive displays from the hosts with another evasive running and faultless rearguard display.
GAMEBREAKER: The two Bulls tries either side of the hour took the game away from an always lively London.
MATCHFACTS
BULLS
1 Tom Holmes
23 Jorge Taufua
3 Waqa Blake
4 Kieran Gill
5 Guy Armitage
6 Jamie Meadows
9 Jordan Lilley
15 Logan Bayliss
14 Mitch Souter
10 Ebon Scurr
11 Zac Fulton
12 Matty Gee
13 James Donaldson
Subs (all used)
17 Franklin Pele
18 Sam Hallas
20 Ronan Michael
21 Emmanuel Waine
Tries: Armitage (19), Scurr (46), Hallas (59), Taufua (63)
Goals: Lilley 2/4
Sin bin: Scurr (27) – professional foul
BRONCOS
1 Alex Walker
2 Chris Hellec
20 Aaron Small
25 Zac Bardsley-Rowe
24 Jake Thewlis
6 Luke Polselli
7 Connor O’Beirne
16 Kian McDermott
9 Curtis Davies
10 Lewis Bienek
11 Will Lovell
12 Sadiq Adebiyi
13 Marcus Stock
Subs (all used)
8 Huw Worthington
19 Lukas Mason
17 Jensen Monk
22 Matt Ross
Tries: Monk (35)
Goals: Hellec 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6; 10-6, 16-6, 20-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulls: Tom Holmes; Broncos: Alex Walker
Penalty count: 9-8
Half-time: 4-6
Referee: Warren Turley
Attendance: 2,698